Daal Amritsari

Daal Amritsari

This daal is made with Whole Black Urad Lentils and Red Kidney beans in a 1:2 ratio respectively (you can find them at whole foods or any ethnic store around you). You cook the daal separately in a pressure cooker or a pot of water. If you plan ahead you can even make this in crockpot. I am making it in a pressure cooker just because I didn't plan ahead and this is a quiker way of softening the lentils. After your Daal and beans are cooked you make a Tarka, a common word used in India cuisine to describe the word seasoning. This Daal needs to cook on low heat setting for hours to get the creamy and appealing color and taste.


My Menu for today is going to be Daal Amritsari, Malai Kebab and Rotis served with some fresh salad. This is going to take a while so lets begin.

RECIPE: Daal Amritsari
Ingredients
For the Daal
1 Cup Whole Black Urad Lentils
1/2 Cup Red Kidney Beans
salt to taste
1" Cinnamon stick
1 Star Anise


For the Tarka
1 Cup Onions, chopped
1 Roma Tomato, chopped
1 Tbsp Tomato paste, heaped


Daal Amritsari Spice Mix
Whole:
1 Dry Red chilli
2 Black Cardamoms
2-3 Green Cardamoms
1/2 Tbsp Cumin seeds
1/2 Tbsp Coriander seeds
5-6 Peppercorns
1 Bayleaf
1/2 tsp Fenugreek seeds
2 Cloves
Powders:
1/4 tsp Mango powder (amchoor)
1/8 tsp Nutmeg
1/4 tsp Asfoedita (Hing)


For Granish
Dollop of butter
1-2 Tbsp Coriander leaves, chopped


Method

1. For the Daal: Wash the Urad lentils and Red Kidney beans. Add them to the pressure cooker with plenty of water. Add the minced ginger, garlic, salt, star ainse and cinnamon stick.
2. Let the pressure build up on hight heat and let the whistle blow 5-6 times. Lower the heat to low and let it ccook for an additional 15 minutes.
3. Turn off the heat and let all the steam escape before you open it.
4. Open the lid and let it simmer on low heat.
5. For the Tarka: I like to make my own spicce mix by roastinn whole spices. In a small pan, on medium heat dry roast 1 Dry Red chilli, 2 Black Cardamoms, 2-3 Green Cardamoms, 1/2 Tbsp Cumin seeds, 1/2 Tbsp Coriander seeds, 5-6 Peppercorns, 1 Bayleaf, 1/2 tsp Fenugreek seeds, 2 Cloves. Make sure you stir it so it does not burn. You will smell the woody aroma once the spices are lightly roasted. Let them cool a little.
6. In a coffe grinder, add the roasted spices and the powders, 1/4 tsp Mango powder (amchoor), 1/8 tsp Nutmeg, 1/4 tsp Asfoedita (Hing).
7. Grind them till it makes a very fine powder.
8. Heat 1 Tbsp ghee (clarified butter) in a skillet and add onions to it. Cook on medium heat for 5-6 minutes till they brow a little. Add the tomatoes, tomato paste and the grinded spice mix. Lower the heat and cook for 15-20 minures till the oil separates from the mix.
9. Add it to the steamed daal and simmer for 4-5 hours. On a heat sourcce you have to keep stirring it every few minutes unlike in a crockpot.Adjust seasonig as needed.
10. Pour it  into the serving bowl and garnish with a dollop of butter in the center and Coriander leaves.

Step-by-step process,

Whole Black Urad and Red Kidney Beans

For the Daal: Wash the Urad lentils and Red Kidney beans. Add them to the pressure cooker with plenty of water. Add the minced ginger, garlic, salt, star ainse and cinnamon stick.

Let the pressure build up on hight heat and let the whistle blow 5-6 times. Lower the heat to low and let it ccook for an additional 15 minutes.

Turn off the heat and let all the steam escape before you open it. Open the lid and let it simmer on low heat.

For the Tarka: I like to make my own spicce mix by roastinn whole spices. In a small pan, on medium heat dry roast 1 Dry Red chilli, 2 Black Cardamoms, 2-3 Green Cardamoms, 1/2 Tbsp Cumin seeds, 1/2 Tbsp Coriander seeds, 5-6 Peppercorns, 1 Bayleaf, 1/2 tsp Fenugreek seeds, 2 Cloves. Make sure you stir it so it does not burn. You will smell the woody aroma once the spices are lightly roasted. Let them cool a little.

In a coffee grinder, add the roasted spices and the powders, 1/4 tsp Mango powder (amchoor), 1/8 tsp Nutmeg, 1/4 tsp Asfoedita (Hing). Grind them till it makes a very fine powder.

Heat 1 Tbsp ghee (clarified butter) in a skillet and add onions to it. Cook on medium heat for 5-6 minutes till they brow a little. Add the tomatoes, tomato paste and the grinded spice mix. Lower the heat and cook for 15-20 minures till the oil separates from the mix.

Add it to the steamed daal and simmer for 4-5 hours. On a heat sourcce you have to keep stirring it every few minutes unlike in a crockpot.Adjust seasonig as needed.

Pour it  into the serving bowl and garnish with a dollop of butter in the center and Coriander leaves.